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Internet drug fear of ‘legal highs’ to buy online

Police have warned that an increasing number of people in Scotland are taking "legal highs" bought online despite limited information about their potentially lethal side-effects.

They have made a number of seizures at a time when there is growing concern about the widespread sale of unlicensed drugs and prescription medicine over the internet.

Several of the drugs have already been banned in other countries. The unclassified liquid party drugGBL is outlawed in the United States and Sweden but not in Britain, where it is available in some health food shops and over the internet.

Last week a coroner in Sussex recorded a verdict of misadventure into the death of cheerleader Hester Stewart, 21, a medical student who died after she took GBL. The coroner referred to young people playing "Russian roulette" with such substances.

The sale of drugs online has become a multi-billion pound industry, but experts warn it is entirely unregulated. A survey commissioned by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain found more than two million people in Britain regularly go online to buy prescription drugs such as the anti-depressant Prozac, the sex aid Viagra and Valium, which is used to treat anxiety.

The British Medical Association has expressed concern that buying even prescription drugs online does not offer the necessary safeguards. The latest research shows a quarter of GPs have treated patients for side effects caused by drugs bought on the internet.

Last week NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde warned that women from all social backgrounds were injecting an unlicensed drug to give themselves an all-over tan. Melanotan is being bought online, despite reports that it causes side-effects including headaches, nausea and vomiting.

Detective Superintendent Willie MacColl, national drugs co-ordinator, Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency, said: "It is concerning that some people who would never risk taking more aspirin or paracetamol than the eight in 24 hours instructed on a label are willing to swallow tablets without knowing anything about their contents or side-effects.

"The police in Scotland have made a number of seizures of these different substances during investigations, but the small number of seizures does not necessarily reflect the prevalence or use of them in communities.

"People who use these substances need to be aware of the potentially harmful effects and it is important that parents and young people who are most likely to have questions have access to credible information.

"While not controlled, these substances do have mind-altering properties and as such hold inherent dangers."

Police say there is also an increase in dealers passing off "legal highs" as ecstasy. New figures obtained by The Herald show that in the past year, some 60% of ecstasy tablets analysed in Scotland were actually benzylpiperazine (BZP), which can cause acute psychosis and seizures.

Tayside Police last week warned there is growing evidence of widespread misuse of mephedrone, which is legal but has hallucinogenic properties. It is believed the drug is being passed off as ecstasy mixed with LSD, cocaine or ketamine.

Dave Liddell, head of the Scottish Drugs Forum, said: "For young people looking to take them there is an appeal because they are legal but there is an inherent risk. Even support services are not that familiar with how to deal with these drugs.

"The challenge for law enforcement is that they just keep changing the chemical derivatives."

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changing the chemical derivatives isnt just making it challenging for law enforcement, its making it fucking dangerous to consumers. now nobody knows what the fuck they are ingesting half the time!

swim thinks that with this legal highs business, and the danger of it, the law enforcement agencies of the world will have to take a proper look at regulating/legalizing their illegal counterparts, making dosing safe/increasing awareness. people have finally found away "around" the drug laws, and will continue to exploit it at the danger of consumers health.

I'm not hugely sold on all the negative side effects aspect. I mean, go read the label on just about any household meds and they normally warn that you can go blind and kill you. So you know...

Also, will law-makers ever figure out that no matter what you make illegal, some people will always have the urge to get high. Are they eventually going to make illegal ANYTHING that you can actually enjoy taking?

Swim doesn't use any more but she certainly doesn't have a problem with others experimenting. What she does have is a big problem with lack of safety and regulation concerning any substances. As has already been said people are always going to want to expand their consciousness, so educate them and make it safer. Don't demonise it. Truth be told the majority of society is using something to change awareness/feelings so bring it into the future, take it out of the dark ages.

Also, will law-makers ever figure out that no matter what you make illegal, some people will always have the urge to get high. Are they eventually going to make illegal ANYTHING that you can actually enjoy taking?

Click to expand...

Exactly... people are always going to do it. Rather than outlaw the symptoms, look at the cause. Why are so many people unhappy or bored or <insert other motivations> in this world that they have to turn to drugs?

Chances are, its a reflection of our modern society. Materialistic, fast paced, success and beauty driven. If you fall on the margins of the images pushed by the marketing 'reference groups' (like 90% of people) then chances are you feel you don't measure up.

And lets just cast our mind back to the faith society places in quick fix science. Get sick, take a pill, cure the symptom, its the marvel of science.

Even those Saturday morning cartoons.. super chicken with his 'super sauce', Roger ramjet and his 'protein pills'.. will they one day look at this and ban them (along with your GP) on the basis they promote drugs??